Silent Curses
by Samkin-lone-Senshi
Summary: There are some family secrets that are best unknown, sadly, Kenshin's follows him from childhood to present, can he cope..?
1. Chapter 1

Silent Curses

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KENSHIN! Okay, Rurouni Kenshin belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki, so here you go

Note: if you are a fan of Midnight Run In, I'm actually in the process of bringing it out updates...yes, that's right, been a long time coming, but yes, updates.

Part 1: The Himura family curse

It was not like Kenshin wander the dark area of the house, he sat in the shadows and looked on, he could see a rabbit and soon it was in his arms. He looked sorrowfully at it feeling the impulses he felt many times before even living with Hiko.

It starts with one problem, it was the fact that Kenshin lost track of his age, simply because he looked as young as he did. At what age did I really stop aging? He had thought this when he set to looking in a mirror, his red hair hanging into his face, the first time he had to confront the truth.

I'm born this way, he thought feeling the horrible pulsing of the creature he held, he wanted to release it, he just wanted to die. He felt the same fangs growing in, he felt the same guilt he felt when he bit and fed on the animal. He buried the creature, though he felt that he had done something wrong.

Walking into Kaoru's room, he looked in on her, he stared down with the same sad gaze he gave her when she slept. How many words do I have to run through my head to just say what I truly think, he thought to himself touching the door. I can't tell her what I am, I hardly know at times.

Lying on his futon, gazing at the ceiling, his face turning to the side. He remembered what was told him when he was living with Hiko. Hiko saw him mature, saw the vampire in him. "Are you afraid of yourself?" Hiko asked the small boy.

"I don't understand, Master, why?" for the most part, Kenshin stared feeling his body doing what it did on impulse. The small fangs, the almost ghastly hunger that followed him. "I didn't mean to bite, master, honest."

"No, you didn't Kenshin, you didn't want to," his master told him stroking his head. "Just know that you have impulses that your side can't control."

I can't control myself, Kenshin thought this, he remembered the bandits that killed the slavers, he had no idea where he was going really. He was aware of one thing when he was walking along that dark road, he was going to have to say goodbye to innocence.

Being seven, being found, being able to sleep, he was aware of one thing that Master Hiko always said about him. "READ!" He had brought a manuscript in front of Kenshin and forced him to read it a loud to him.

"Nothing is worth more than living, the sword is a tool of which to live with," Kenshin remembered reciting back. Then he saw something else, something written just for him. "Though I am a vampire, I shall not harm a living soul."

It did not come to that during the Bakumatsu time, Kenshin remembered the first time he saw blood, the wild feeling rushing through his veins. He remembered that he had hid inside his room at the inn, he had to take a deep breath, he had to remember to pretend to be human. It was the fact Katsura knew what he was, knew it because of his eyes.

"Yellow like a cats, and blue like the sky," the man smiled. "I knew one clan that did that at one time, they were vampires, though their children were killed."

Katsura told him the story, the story of the Tribes of the Moon, a clan of vampires who spread and lived peacefully among humans. Kenshin wondered if his family was one such family, he did know that his mother and father died, but he did not know of what, he was told it was cholera. Maybe vampire hunters found them, he thought to himself about it.

The first time Kenshin did taste human blood was by accident, he had killed and then the blood splashed into his mouth, he brought his fingers up to his lips. He felt the warmth on his fingers, then the strange taste. He let out a gasp, his fifteen year old mind was running wild, he rushed to a wash basin and nearly put his head in the water to just clear it.

He let his mouth open and he coughed coming back for air..."Kenshin, you okay?" one of the spies asked him and smiled a little. "You really are good at..." he saw the look Kenshin gave him and rushed to his room shutting the door.

Sitting on the ledge gazing out, he was breathing hard, the worse part was something made him thirsty. He waited until most of the inn was asleep, it wasn't hard, the mid afternoon made everyone sleepy there, he crept out and was suddenly walking into the forest near a shrine. He looked around, the most part of this hunt was different, he had to find what he was looking for, a small rabbit. He held it in his arms feeling it try to fight him. "I'm sorry," he whispered biting into it drinking the blood and dropping the body at his feet. "I can't drink human blood."

Returning to the inn, he was back to his routines, though he was hiding the most part of what he was.

Now years later, he had to hide it, hide that he was touched by the moon, as some people considered vampires and werewolves myths. Kenshin remembered the first time he met a werewolf, he stared at Sanosuke who was smiling at him with the wolfish grin, he was a werewolf, he was a wild animal.

"You really are touched by the moon," Sanosuke referred to what happened, it was not like he had any control over some fights. Vampires were always considered more powerful than a werewolf, and considering that his pack was wiped out. "Where is your tribe?"

Kenshin blinked. "Oro?"

"Wait, you don't know?" Sanosuke blinked and had to explain this to Kenshin. "You really don't know anything about the Tribes of the Moon?"

"Not one bit," Kenshin smiled shaking his head. "I was raised by a human, I know nothing of my own clan or even what it means to be of..."

"Hold on..." Sanosuke gasped out. "Okay, I was raised in a werewolf clan since I was a cub and you're the only vampire I have seen who proudly admits to being raised human? Don't you know how shameful that is?"

"No, and Master Hiko was not a bad person, even if he was human," the vampire was staring at him almost with an innocent look on his face. "Why is it shameful?"

"It just is," Sanosuke stared in shock, his eyes wide. "You have no idea how...oh forget it."

It was like that for awhile, so Sanosuke did stick around now, he was pretty sure that Kenshin was going to need some education on vampires and werewolves. It was easy enough to get him to understand one thing, werewolves and vampires had a sort of short relationship. "I can't believe you're that easy going!" Sanosuke glared at him and shook his head. "Vampires don't act like that...though the ones I have met have some kind of problem with werewolves."

"Then you met some that aren't so pleasant," Kenshin blinked and wondered why he would have ever wanted to meet another vampire.

"Look, vampires have this idea that werewolves are servants, like we're freaking slaves or something," Sanosuke stared at Kenshin with some dislike, then shrugged. "I never met a vampire who treats me like I'm not some sort of lapdog."

"Oro? Oh, I would never do that," Kenshin walked off. "You're the first werewolf I ever met that didn't' try to rip my throat out. I met one, but..." He had to think hard, the first one he met was considered foul tempered. "I would rather not discuss that, no that I would not."

* * *

Kenshin seems like a nice vampire, Sanosuke thought sitting down, he had to keep track of this one, as long as the other vampires didn't get any ideas, he was hopeful. Lying on his back in ruffian row, he was looking at the ceiling of his house laughing a little. "Hey, Sano, open up!" he heard a voice, he turned his head and opened the door.

The werewolf looked up. "Look, we're in deep shit! Okay, you know how Doramaru was left in charge right?" he was looking over his shoulder. "It appears our pack got er..well..we have a new alpha and he's big!"

"Big? How big?" Sanosuke rolled onto his side.

"Look, he's one of the Kyoto werewolves, one of those Mibu ones, big black and mean all over," the werewolf's name was Maku. He nervously looked around the house and let out a gasp. "He found out you're the beta, you have to get the hell out of here, Sano! He nearly killed Maka!"

Sanosuke knew that he had left to go into Tokyo to investigate the area, he had been pretty sure that the vampire he had met was not going to cause much trouble. He walked into the alley and saw the large black form of a wolf. "So this is the beta," the eyes were narrowing on him, for a moment, a new form took its place. "You smell like crap."

"Speak for yourself, you know its against the rules to take over a pack that had a clear alpha, Mibu," Sanosuke knew the rules, he knew that taking over a pack like this guy did was not allowed.

"I never was one for rules," the wolf growled, that was when there were six other wolves, one was smaller, and slightly white and looked at him. "I didn't expect your pack to put up this much of a fight considering who was your last alpha?" He was pacing a little and Sanosuke glared.

"Though I never heard of a pack that takes in strays," whispered the Mibu wolf.

That was when Sanosuke glared. "It is easy to take in strays when their packs are ravaged by other stronger ones. If I'm the pack leader of this rag tag group, than that is me, I'm the new alpha then."

"I was hoping you would say something," The larger wolf was laughing.

The fight that started, "Maku, get Maka and your self to the Kamiya dojo!"

* * *

Kenshin was sleeping, at least taking a nap, he heard the rattling of voices and saw two children, he blinked looking at the two of them. "Oro?"

"Um...Sano sent us here," a boy with black hair looking nervous turned his had to a girl with similar features. "Are you his vampire friend?"

"Hai, I am," Kenshin nodded slowly and saw the boy's face. "Where is he?"

"He's facing another werewolf who is trying to take our home." the girl whispered and looked sad. "They're called Mibu."

Sitting quickly, he grabbed his sakobatou and rushed off. "Stay here!"


	2. Chapter 2

Silent Curses

Part 2: Wolves and Vampires

Kenshin could feel the darkness closing around him, he made it toward a wooded area near Tokyo, he turned his head found he could hear it. Two wolves were fighting, at least one was still keeping up with the larger one.

A large black wolf grabbed a slightly smaller, but still big white wolf with a black streak along its back. Kenshin could tell which one was which, he smelled this scent before, his back going rigid, he suddenly realized that there were three other werewolves watching. Sanosuke's small white form suddenly was against a tree.

"I will just let you stay your beta role, but you are going to let us Mibu stay," the larger wolf growled and grabbed Sanosuke.

"That's not how Tokyo pack works, we take in strays, we don't...let another pack control us," Sanosuke growled and tried to stand, but his body was too hurt, that was when Kenshin rushed forward.

"Oh...you have a vampire?" a young white wolf like boy appeared, his large yellow eyes was staring at him.

The leader looked coldly, "I know you, your scent..." the wolf walked off. "I will discuss this with you later...The Mibu will join the Tokyo Pack, Sanosuke..."

"Like hell," Sanosuke leaned against Kenshin in his human form. He was breathing hard, he turned his head back to his friend who was blinking. "How do you know the Mibu?" He walked back to the house.

Kenshin looked up, his eyes round and a little curious as he walked with him. "I have no idea..."

"Okay, coming from a vampire who can't even hunt anything other than a rabbit..."

"I can hunt bigger things, I just don't like to," the vampire protested, he walked on and shook his head. "I don't drink human blood, that's just...feels wrong."

"Look, you seem like an okay vampire, but seriously, you acting out like this isn't funny anymore!" Sanosuke walked ahead and glared. "You were the Hitokiri Battosai, I can give that, but seriously...have you ever even tasted human blood?"

That was when Kenshin's eyes darkened and he back away from him. "YES! Yes, I have...and I won't again!" He whispered and looked sad. "I swore to never harm a human again."

The werewolf turned and looked at him. "Look, there are many vampires who are like you, but you are taking this a little too seriously! Vampires need blood to live, that's a given."

"Don't you think I know that?" Kenshin looked angry, his eyes lowering. "Do you think I asked to be born a vampire?"

"Wait, you're a born vampire?"

Nodding slowly, Kenshin let out a gasp. "Is that rare?"

"RARE? Kenshin, you're saying you're from a noble house?" His friend turned pale and looked angry. "Kenshin..born vampires are nobles, that's the only way around it. How can you be a noble?"

"Oro? No idea, I was just born this way."

* * *

Kaoru was the first thing Kenshin protected, it was evident with the way he acted, he smiled at her even if she accidentally hit him. He lay one night rubbing his head, then shook it. "Kaoru-dono, needs to control her temper," he thought aloud and sighed. "It wasn't seesha's fault Yahiko calls her names."

He turned his head and smiled as Sanosuke came in from the gate, he blinked and smiled. "Are you just going to lie there?" Sanosuke pulled him along. "I was hoping you would join me on something...apparently those idiotic wolves just about made a problem with a werecat tribe now I have to work with trying to fix it. Wanna come?"

"Oro? Sure I guess," Kenshin got up and wondered why he felt like he was doing something he shouldn't. He walked through the streets. "Why are you making me come?"

"Look, that idiot wolf thinks you are part of the pack, so I have to go and talk to Miaka," Sanosuke growled and walked toward the river. "I can't believe those wolves pissed her off..."

Standing near the river was a pale girl with yellow eyes dressed in a traditional kimono and sighed. "So I take it you are not responsible for that idiot black wolf." She was staring and moving closer to Sanosuke.

"No, I'm not and I want him gone as much as you do, Miaka-san. They are assuming that a member of the Tribes of the Moon was taken in by us," Sanosuke pointed to Kenshin. "The guy isn't a member of my..."

The feline changer walked up to Kenshin and her eyes narrowed. "A member of the Moon Tribe," she whispered and glared. "Fine...I never knew one of those were..."

"Look, he's from a group called Himura," Sanosuke informed her.

That made the cat turn and stare. "That's virtually impossible, the Himura clan were wiped out years ago." She turned and rushed off, "Look, I'll check around, but I'm certain that the Himura clan was wiped out."

"Oro? What was...?" Kenshin asked as the leader of the cat tribe left.

"Look, I'm just curious considering that you're a vampire without a clan, there must be some branch clan that will answer," whispered Sanosuke, he was staring around. "I'm just not sure she'll find out. All I know is that half the clan was wiped out by hunters."

"Hunters?" Kenshin blinked and looked thoughtful for a moment, "Its hot, I need to rest."

* * *

Lying on his back, Kenshin could hear the sound of Kaoru and Yahiko practicing, he had joined in watching, but he was too tired. The most of the curious thought was on whether or not he was part of any Moon tribes really.

He suddenly saw a cat appearing in the yard, it was walking through and sat down next to him. "I found out what happened to the Himura clan, apparently you're the last one. One of the hunters is in Tokyo presently and she's pretty much been rogue, so you watch yourself." Miaka was sitting looking at him, then turning back into a cat, she rushed off.

Surely it was easier to walk down the street without feeling like someone was going to jump out and yell. Kenshin had learned that even though he was healing well, his feed cycles were on minium, but his own sense were on the defensive. "Kenshin?" he turned his head to Kaoru walking up. "Want to go to Akebeko with me?"

"Sure," he smiled at her as they walked, then Kaoru finally said something.

"Kenshin, I know I shouldn't pry, but are you okay? You haven't been eating and Megumi and I were just..." she smiled a little that was when she saw Kenshin turn his head.

He looked at her with low gaze and smiled. "This one worried you, I'm sorry. This one has a sad secret, and he does not want Kaoru-dono or Megumi-dono worry so horribly about me."

I have to tell her, I have to show her the truth, he whispered in his heart, he finished eating with her, he liked the taste. "Kenshin, what do you want to tell me?"

As he looked down at the pot. "Seesha likes being with you," he whispered and smiled, his eyes were down. "I'm not sure how I am telling you this. It hurts when I tell someone, because I don't know if they either are afraid of me or they will not understand. Seesha knows that people think that those who are Touched by the Moon, are bad." He was frowning feeling the sad fact, he had was going to have to speak. "I'm a vampire."

Kaoru let out a gasp, then stared down. "So you're scared that I will just kick you out?" her hands folded. "You have no where to go and I think it isn't bad that you're this way." She smiled a little. "I'm used to having strange guests."

"So I can stay?" he gave a smile.

"Hai, just don't bite anyone."

"Seesha doesn't bite a person unless that person let's me. And I still won't do it," he whispered. "I have never had human blood in years, this one doesn't like it." He took a sip of the broth in front of him. "I never had the taste for it for some reason. Even back when I was killing, I never once drank my victims' blood."

Kaoru stared in shock, she could not believe what she saw, Kenshin might as well have his fangs removed, she thought in sadness. He lived like this for years, and yet he never spoke on it.

As they walked back to the house. "You were born this way?" She asked him, then saw him nod.

"Hai, I don't rightly know anything about my family," he looked down at the ground, his thoughts on the fact he didn't know. He wondered if it was good not to remember.

* * *

Kenshin was dreaming at least he thought he was, he lay on his futon staring through the eyes of a small five year old. He was aware of a woman with red hair taking him into a room and then shutting him into a closet. He stared wondering why she did that, he heard himself crying and sobbing as the door slowly opened, and he crawled out.

He was aware that someone was reaching for him, telling him it was okay, he was safe now. "We made a mistake, these vampires weren't hurting humans," she was holding the small child up over her head. "What clan has children?"

For a moment, Kenshin could remember being told his family were humans, that he was a human child. He knew that was not true, but he bought into it, until he turned ten. He knew that now, he woke slowly that he was looking up at the ceiling his breathing was short gasps.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru walked into the room. "Are you okay? Were you having a nightmare?" She was checking his forehead. "You have a fever."

He tried to push her away, and she saw the yellow eyes. "I...have...to..." he rushed out, but found himself staring around the courtyard, he turned and stared at Kaoru. Shaking a little, he just stared at her, his lips trembling. "Kaoru-dono, please excuse seesha, he's hungry."

Going into the forest, he bit his lips, he found himself hunting down a rabbit. The fact that Kaoru's touch brought out a reaction, one that he knew very well. Tomoe-koishii gave me the same feeling, she made his instincts run wild. He had grabbed a rabbit and bit draining it, he licked his lips still feeling the guilt. He buried the animal, as he walked from the forest, he felt the same fear as always.

Kaoru-dono knows I'm this, I didn't want her to see me, he thought, he turned his head and found something familiar, a scent he knew well.

"So your senses aren't a total loss, Battosai," a voice was dark and he saw the werewolf that fought Saonsuke. "So that beta is friends with..."

"Seesha does not..." Kenshin glared at him, his vampire instincts were sharp now. "Just..."

Kenshin could see the werewolf, it was someone he knew well. A creature he saw from the distance as he walked about the city of Kyoto so long ago. "Don't remember do you? We crossed swords so many times, Hitokiri Battosai."

"You're a werewolf, I just thought you smelled bad," he whispered and continued to walk, that was when the wolf glared.

"I am not finished with you. I will meet with you tomorrow."

"So be it," Kenshin answered coldly and walked away.

* * *

It was the next morning and Kenshin gave a soft hiss as he lay on his side, he opened his yellow eyes, he was on defensive. He then moved to the roof, he had not figured out how he got there, but he did, he would wait and watch, he knew that night Sanosuke got into a huge fight with that wolf was recouping. The one thing that Kenshin did not expect from that night, he had found the bloody mess, Miaka was there too.

"Don't worry, Megumi-san fixed the problem," he turned to see Yahiko, he knew the boy was aware of things, but the fact remained Kenshin was impressed with one thing the kid figured out, the vampire truth. The funny part was that Kenshin hid it so well, yet Yahiko was able to see right through it.

"Do you really drink blood?" Yahiko asked him suddenly.

"Oro? I do, but I won't drink human blood, that I won't," Kenshin gave a disgusted look at the very idea. He looked at the boy. "How did you figure it..."

"Come on, you have fangs," the kid pointed out and laughed. "Not to mention, To-san told me enough times about them. He said there are two kinds, ones who don't hunt humans and those who do. Those who do usually get hunted down by vampire hunters."

Yahiko's family were vampire hunters, "The vampires who don't hurt people and drink animal blood are usually the kind that live in the wilds so they don't have any connection to the human world."

Learning a little from the kid, Kenshin nodded and smiled. "I see, this is good to know...might help me explain something about how I feel."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't worry about it, Yahiko."

He looked up as he saw the werewolf, the man was familiar now, at least in the sense that his smell was going a little. You smell of blood, werewolf, he thought coming down from the roof.

If the fight had ended well enough, Kaoru watched in her horror, though Kenshin had controlled his vampire instincts, "oh let it out," the werewolf laughed. "I want to see how a real vampire fights."

"NO!" Kenshin growled, his eyes wide looking at Kaoru in almost fear. "This one will not hurt anyone in the sight of those he loves."

With in the moments, Kenshin still fought back. "THAT IS ENOUGH!" a voice rang out over the room, for a moment, both just stared at each other.

It was the same problems, it was always the push to fight, Kenshin thought feeling horrible, his eyes closing as he heard what was being told. He lay on his back afterward, he put his hands flat to the floor and just gazed, he didn't want to move from the spot, his fangs were elongated. "Forced to part with one that I cannot bear to part with now, Tomoe-koishii, what does this one do?" he reached up touch his face letting his fangs grow back a little. "This one must..yes before he parts."

He had packed his things, holding the bag, he stared at Kaoru who was standing at the gate. "Kaoru-dono," he felt her hand on his, then she rushed to hold him. His eyes widened feeling the pulse of her blood, he let her move closer, his fangs slowly elongated. "I cannot..."

"Kenshin! Please," she whispered her arms returned ot holding him tightly. "I...don't want you to..."

"If I bite, I will hurt," he whispered and he felt her hand. "I cannot.." His instinct spoke, he felt his fangs going into her shoulder letting himself hold her, then let her go. "I don't understand what I did."


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3: The Road to Kyoto

It was still a dark night, it was still the horrible feeling of sadness that made Kenshin walk slowly at first, he smelled something that night. He knew something about his thoughts, it was more about what Megumi had told him. He had rescued her months earlier, the trouble he had, he had hoped that Kaoru and he knew that Megumi would look after her.

He knew she was a were-something, he knew she changed into a form of some kind, and it turned out she made all the werewolves uncomfortable, the youngest pack member of Sanosuke's pack had called her Kitsune-sama. It was an almost insult at first, then again, Kenshin was happy enough to do something good.

What did I do to Kaoru-dono, her blood is very sweet, Kenshin was thinking this as he walked. He put down some fire wood and sighed. He was lying on his side thinking while watching the flames, he had done this so many times. He thought about the flames, he felt his mind drifting back to a memory, a far off drift of memories.

"You're a human, do you understand?" a young teenager was kneeling down, her eyes were bright green. "What is your name?"

"Shinta," the boy whispered and trembled, he was looking around. "Where is Ni-san, where is Ichiya and Haruka, where are they?" he was suddenly crying, his eyes watering. "Where is Ka-san, To-san? I want to go home!"

For a moment, Kenshin felt his eyes widen for a moment, his memories of childhood were not what he remembered. He remembered Hiko telling him that the hunters were possibly mistaken in what they did and the fact they were trying to atone by sending him to another vampire they knew.

Aoishi was someone that jogged Kenshin's memory, that was the one thing that Kenshin thought about, it was a vampire who was trained to kill. It was a vampire who did not care if there were humans or vampires, he had a job to do.

As he felt the interlacing of memories, he remembered a vampire boy that he saw before, a black haired boy who stared at him. "I'm aware that in order to live, I must fight you," the words were cold and almost heartless, Kenshin on the other hand thought it was sad. It was not the fact that Aoishi was a born vampire like himself, but it was a totally different kind of vampire.

The memories played around the flames with him, Kenshin was thinking about Kaoru again, and how she reminded him of the past. He lay quietly thinking again of the childhood he did not have or at least thought of the hunter, the girl reached up and touched him.

"Shinta, I'm sorry, but you have to trust me," she kissed the top of his head. "We're sorry for what we did, we didn't know." She patted his back as he sobbed.

"I want my haha!" he screamed and in minutes another hunter came in and knelt down. He was trying to make him smile. He hiccupped and looked up, Kenshin realized he was no more than four years old.

"If you cry anymore, little one, you're going to be all hungry and we don't have enough to help you," he saw the vampire hunter pick him up. "I can't believe we slaughtered the Himura Family. They're practically harmless, they haven't hunted or killed humans for hundreds of years." He rubbed the child's back and let the boy whimper. "Hush, hush, we're so sorry this happened."

"I have contacted the Aoiya, they have a bed for him," said one of the hunters walked in touching the fingers along his weapon of choice. "Shinomori is willing to take him."

"We can't take him, so we're going to have him sent with a slaver," the hunter walked up. "Sadly, that's the only method I can think of, we can't leave this area. Kyoto is just a bit of a problem. Damn, I wish that outcast didn't just walked out."

"Don't bring him up, Suji," the leader walked up and then looked at the girl. "Izu, take him to the bath and get him ready for the trip. Sadly, we are going to have to part with him. If Nobuki and the rest of the Oniwabanshu will raise him."

Kenshin was brought back to reality. That's why they were so familiar, he thought, his eyes closing feeling the horrible thought of the fact he would have been raised as a ninja. He found his fate now was far better.

He heard the sound of noise and looked up to see a young girl, a scent was unmistakable, he smelled another vampire. He felt a yelp and decided to hide, he could mask his scent, the female vampire was growling, she was different by scent and it caused Kenshin to back against the tree.

"Damn, not enough money." Her voice was pulling up a small bag. "I can't believe that idiot vampire slept through this." She was soon backed against a tree, Kenshin grabbed his bag back. "Oh wow...you were awake?" She was staring at him.

"Would you rather I take that?" she pointed at his sakobatou.

"NO!" Kenshin held it tightly to him and stared. "And why steal, didn't you learn anything about being honest and..."

The girl glared at him. "Look, I'm a vampire and humans are..."

That's when Kenshin shook his head walking off. "WAIT!" She was running after him. "Why are you suddenly leaving?"

"I'm in a hurry."

He decided it was best to ignore this situation anymore than he had to. He was about to leave when he noticed the girl. "You're one strange vampire," she came out from behind tree. "For a moment, I could almost smell human on you."

"What do you mean?" he glared at her, his eyes were on the fact the girl had to be sixteen, she crossed her arms.

"Well...you don't smell like a normal vampire, also how you act, its like some human raised you to act like that," her eyes were still on his. "You were drinking animal blood more than human."

"I chose that," he whispered and walked ahead of her. "I don't care if..."

The girl blinked. "Hold on, I'm not finished. There is one vampire clan that doesn't kill or drink human blood and they're of the wild house called Himura, but that's impossible all of them were killed by accident."

"Accident?" Kenshin stopped moving, his eyes on the girl.

"Yeah, a rival vampire family wanted the land, at least that's what the hunters told us," she was walking with him. "Wow...so you're from that clan, how did you live without another vampire raising you?"

"I was raised by a human, I'll have you know, and he was a good one," he whispered and continued to walk. "Aside from that, it was stupid of you to tell me all that."

"I'm Misao," she followed him.

"Kenshin," he walked faster, but did not seem to lose the girl. "You're from the Aoiya Vampire Clan?"

"No, Oniwabanshu vampire clan," she corrected and smiled, then saw him stop for a second, then nod continuing to walk looking sad.

She was still with him by the next village, he had taken to standing just outside it as he examined the people. He let his eyes travel a little and he let out a gasp, he still could taste Kaoru's blood in his mouth and he was still curious as to why. "You really don't know anything do you?" Miasao was kicking her feet staring down at him from a tree. "You have been trying to figure out something and you're really not sure how it worked..."

"What?" Kenshin turned his head and saw Miaso jump from the tree coming toward him.

"You bit someone you like, basically marking her as yours and you're wondering why you feel like crap? You don't like being away from her and having to be away from her is making you heart sick," she walked passed him and laughed. "Honestly, you never mated with anyone before have you?"

"I have, but that's none of your business," Kenshin wanted to lose this girl now.

* * *

Kaoru felt sick, she lay on her futon staring out at the sun, she felt ill, she felt like her whole life was dying around her. She realized something, something was drawing her to wake up, she looked up just as she saw Megumi, it was not like she knew much of what was going on. "You have to go to Kyoto, if you want to tell him how you feel," she saw Megumi's hands still on her head. "Seriously, how long do you plan to do this?"

"I don't understand a lot of it, the fact that Kenshin has to face another one of..." Kaoru just sat up and looked sad. "I'm not sure why, but I felt so close to him holding him like that."

Sanosuke was in looking in on her, he was silent. "Vampires only pick those they truly love if anyone, aside from that he marked you as his without realizing it." He was getting up to leave, he was holding a bag and looked like he had been beaten up a little bit. "I'm heading that way myself."

Kaoru nodded getting up, her breathing was normal, but something told her that Kenshin's own instincts were now part of hers. I have to get to Kyoto, she thought.

* * *

Kenshin found that even though Misao was helping him along the way, he had little to no interest in learning much vampire history. "Come on, you have to know why the Himura were wiped out. Even Aoishi-sama knew why, he didn't even agree with it," she was commenting a little. "I was surprised when I learned a bit of vampire history. According to what I read, the Himura were the first clan to abandon the practice of bleeding their children to get them to drink human blood." She was telling him more about it, she was also trying to get his interest drawn away from the feeling of pain from deserting Kaoru.

Kenshin's first impulse while he was in Kyoto was to hide. He hid himself behind Miaso and was hopeful she did not attempt anymore lessons on proper vampirism. He was however curious about one thing, the fact that he found out that Aoishi was actually almost 700 years old.

"You were able to beat him?" whispered Misao in shock.

The Aoiya was impressed and it was happily talking about how interesting that a vampire as old as Aoishi had actually was beat by a vampire like Kenshin. "You're very young," the elder laughed walking in. "In all my 1000 years, I have never seen a vampire like you."

"I think it is a matter that he was raised by a vampire hunter," Misao pointed out.


End file.
